THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Monday, September 9, 1996 TAG: 9609090039
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Column
SOURCE: Guy Friddell
LENGTH: 57 lines
Did any candidate ever resemble Ralph Nader running for president?
The consumer reformer has one big issue: flaying fund-raising excesses with which, he says, corporate power buys politicians, elections and America.
``We've got a lot of problems in the country, but we also have a lot of solutions: to energy, to housing, to health care. How come we're not applying them? Because people don't have the power. Corporations do,'' Nader said last week.
A National Public Radio reporter was amazed at Nader's refusal to raise any campaign funds.
``Is that a metaphorical `no money' or you actually mean no money?'' Scott Simon asked.
Nader said he'll be spending his own money, less than $5,000, largely on transportation. He is communicating through free media.
He won't issue copies of his income tax returns either. ``I'm just wondering,'' said Simon, ``if American voters aren't entitled to know something of what your sources of financial support have been.''
For 30 years, Nader replied, he's advocated the privacy of income tax and medical records as ``an essential defense'' to corporate power and arbitrary government power.
``I've said it to anybody that asks. It's not relevant because it's full of zeros,'' he said. ``I don't take any funds from potential campaign contributors, and it's hard to demonstrate a negative.''
He declined to take stands on foreign policy issues because he wants the focus of his campaign to remain ``on strengthening democracy and curbing abuses of corporate power. So I'm not speaking out on the immigration referendum, Haiti, Middle East, Bosnia.
``You know, if you're taking positions on too many issues, especially issues on things you have not worked on, you lose the focus.''
The Middle East is no small issue, Simon said.
``Nor is Bosnia,'' said Nader, ``nor hundreds of issues, but I'm not that type of candidate. Unlike politicians, I don't know enough about every subject under the sun to make a public statement on it.
``Basically it's a campaign to build the Green Party for the future. It's about pushing the two-party or three-party candidates to take positions on structural issues relating to the dismantling of our democracy and the supremacy of global corporate power over our institutions.''
Campaign finance reform, he said, is simple: allow a voluntary checkoff on the 1040 tax return up to $100 per person and some free time on TV and radio for ballot-qualified candidates.
He aims to get in the debates, bring young people to his cause, and make sure so many Green Parties are on the ballot that ``the Democratic Party and Bill Clinton will never be able to say to millions of Americans, `You got nowhere to go but stay home if you don't vote for us.' ''
Republicans err in trying to keep Ross Perot out of the debates. Welcome him and Nader and sic them - with Bob Dole - on incumbent Clinton. In a four-way melee, Dole won't have as much to say and Clinton might lose his poise and trip up. by CNB